The closing session of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Oct 24, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING — The landmark 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has spurred observers around the world to examine China’s rapid and robust socio-economic development.

Their consensus is that China’s success under the CPC’s leadership can provide other countries with inspiring experiences to pursue their own development and promote global peace and prosperity.

“What makes China different from other nations is that it always has a long vision and ... tools to implement ... the vision,” Khairy Tourk, a professor with Illinois Institute of Technology’s Stuart School of Business said.

CPC’S VISION & XI’S LEADERSHIP

The American scholar said the CPC plays a very important role in China’s achievements. “China is a huge country and the CPC is the backbone of China,” he remarked.

Maria Teresa Montes de Oca, director of the Institute of Chinese Studies at the University of Havana, echoed him.

“China has adjusted to new times and of course, the CPC has led this effort,” she said. “The country has been modernized and freed of old canons, both politically and economically.”

In the eyes of Shehu Sani, a Nigerian senator, “the CPC has proved to be a very good party with a great ideology and a mission to serve the people.”

Scholars across the globe also spoke highly of the leadership of President Xi Jinping, who has been recognized as the core of the CPC Central Committee.

“What impresses me most is that President Xi presented signposts to a China-type governance,” said Lee Hee-ok, a professor of political science at Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul.

David Shambaugh, a professor of political science and international affairs at the George Washington University, recognized that under Xi’s leadership, China has stepped up to play a much enhanced and responsible role in global governance over the past five years.

“Xi Jinping deserves personal credit for this, as he has demonstrated a personal interest in the issue of global governance,” the China specialist said.

ECONOMIC REFORM AND ANTI-CORRUPTION CAMPAIGN

Among China’s major achievements, the economic reform and the anti-corruption campaign have drawn the most attention.

With its economy undergoing structural reforms, China will become a strong industrialized nation by 2025 and a knowledge-intensive country on a par with other advanced nations by 2049, Tourk predicted.

As China focuses on producing sophisticated technological products, many of the labor-intensive and heavy industries will relocate from China to other nations, reshaping the global supply chain, he said.

Speaking of the anti-corruption campaign, Lee said it is not just for eradicating corruption but is significant for transforming the entire structure of Chinese society.

The battle against corruption, the South Korean professor added, is aimed at making China’s socialist market economy sound and healthy by rooting out such problems as corruption and rent-seeking. It is helping China consolidate the foundation for new innovations.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said China’s anti-corruption campaign has given significant strength to the party’s leadership and shows China’s resolve to implement the rule of law.

BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE

Proposed by Xi in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along and beyond the ancient Silk Road trade routes.

“The initiative has successfully connected various hinterland and coastal cities across China to Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, Russia and East Europe, offering various opportunities for win-win cooperation on the one hand, and regional economic integration on the other,” Indian scholar B.R. Deepak said.

As dozens of countries have joined the initiative, China has become “a major center of attraction” for all the people who wish to achieve development, said Mahmoud Raya, director of the “China in Arab Eyes” news website in Lebanon.

China can play a bigger role in the world through its bilateral cooperation with other countries as well as its involvement in international affairs, Raya added.

GLOBAL GOVERNANCE AND INFLUENCE

As China gradually steps up onto the stage to take part in global governance, experts around the world have recognized it as a responsible stakeholder.

“We are talking about the world’s largest party, which leads the most populous country, the second largest economy and a major geopolitical player,” said Mariana Malinova Tian, an associate professor with the Institute for Historical Studies of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

“Over the past five years, China has shown the potential it has to the entire world,” said South Korean ambassador to China Noh Young-min, noting that Beijing has also begun to turn into a key player in the international community for world peace.

“Most of the countries admire the Chinese experience,” Raya added. “That’s why China will always be an inspiration for all the countries looking for peace, security and advancement.”